


its just a dance, lover

by lilyxxxooo



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: DAN AND PHIL - Freeform, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Happy, M/M, Phanfiction, Weddings, dance, fast burn lol, slow dance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-18
Updated: 2021-01-18
Packaged: 2021-03-17 00:42:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28840344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilyxxxooo/pseuds/lilyxxxooo
Summary: When at his brother's wedding, Phil can't help but feel sad that he has no one to dance with. Briefly based off "Lover" by Taylor Swift
Relationships: Dan Howell & Phil Lester, Dan Howell/Phil Lester
Comments: 2
Kudos: 42





	its just a dance, lover

**Author's Note:**

> please enjoy!  
> follow me on tumblr @dramaticlester

"Thanks for coming with me, Dan," Phil said as they took their seats in the beautiful church. The two boys had caught a flight to the Isle of Man the night before to attend Phil's brother's wedding.

"Of course," Dan just smiled, shaking his head. "Where else would I be?"

"I don't know, having fun?" Phil joked.

"On my own in the flat? No, thank you."

"Children!" Katherine Lester exclaimed as she made her to the same bench Dan and Phil were sat at, right at the front of the church. Both Dan and Phil stood up to hug her. If this was a normal day, Dan might've got emotional at the normalcy.

"You look lovely, Mrs Lester," Dan smiled, placing his hand on her upper arm before pulling it away just as quickly.

"And you look dashing, Daniel," she smiled at him, reaching up to adjust his tie slightly. She glanced at him. She looked at him as though he was one of her children, the way she looked at Phil every time he told her about the tours or the books or the projects. He swelled with pride.

"Mum!" Phil complained, rolling his eyes.

"What? Dan doesn't mind, do you dear?"

"Not at all," Dan agreed, looking pointedly at Phil, a knowing smirk on his lips.

"Suck up," Phil mumbled to only Dan as they took their seats again. Dan grinned, patting Phil's knee and deciding to just keep his hand there. Phil glanced at him in question, raising his eyebrow. Dan caught his eye and just shrugged. And his hand stayed there until Phil had to stand up to join Martyn, rather regretfully, at the front of the church to take his duty of best man. Dan's eyes never left Phil during the whole ceremony. Philip Lester looked damn good in a blue suit.

***************************

"You looked more nervous than Martyn," Dan joked as he and Phil made their way into the reception.

"Shut up! I was not," Phil whined, shoving Dan slightly, catching his arm when he actually nearly fell.

"Rude."

"You deserved it."

And Phil tried to stay mad, but a look in chocolate eyes was enough to make even the toughest man break.

***************************

Dan was tipsy, but he wasn't drunk. Phil was dead sober. Dan wasn't quite sure why, but Phil had opted for coke all-night, sipping leisurely as he engaged in boring conversation with distant family members. Dan didn't question it considering it was Phil's decision, but he still couldn't help but wonder what was wrong.

"Hey, Phil, are you okay?" Dan asked quietly into his ear.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Phil said with a gentle smile, having more of his coke. It was enough of an answer for Dan who just shook his head and smiled back at him. Because looking at Phil, he looked genuinely happy. 

The talks with distant family had dwindled so now he was truly content just talking to his mum, dad, and brother, and Dan, of course. Dan had no reason to suspect he was lying. Looking back on it, maybe it _was_ just that blue suit that made Phil's eyes twinkle under the occasional disco light beam that would pass by them, making him look like the happiest man alive. Wow, Phil Lester looked damn good in a blue suit.

***************************

Now, Daniel Howell would consider himself a good judge of character. He'd spent his whole life analysing people, trying to decide if they wanted to use him or love him. The troubles of being a low-key celebrity. Phil had been fine. He laughed at jokes being told and he congratulated his brother and his sister-in-law multiple times and he ate enough food to keep him satisfied for a week. There was something different though; Dan had known this man for 10 years, knew him inside out, but this had him puzzled. He didn't feel like asking again, scared that Phil might break, so he nursed his fourth vodka and coke and just kept an eye on him.

"Can everybody turn their attention to the happy couples first dance," the DJ said smoothly into the mic, changing the song to a slow, romantic song.

_||We could leave the Christmas lights up 'til January_

_This is our place, we make the rules||_

Dan smiled as Martyn took Cornelia's hand and helped her to the dance floor, circling her waist with his arms. Dan saw her giggle into his chest. She looked eternally happy, like nothing could ever make her sad again. Like Martyn was the gravity keeping her to the earth. She clung to him like it was the last time. He looked to Phil, seeing him wipe his finger under his eye. Dan pulled Phil into his side.

"Getting emotional, Philly?" Dan laughed, but he himself was tearing up.

"I'm just happy for him," Phil whispered, choking on his words. Dan was sure there was something more to it, but Phil wasn't a crier so he didn't know how to make it better. He just rubbed his side instead and pulled away, turning in his chair and resting his chin on the back to comfortably watch the couple.

_||And there's a dazzling haze, a mysterious way about you, dear||_

The DJ started to invite other couples onto the dance floor, all crowding around Martyn and Cornelia and swaying with their significant other. Phil's mum and dad passed them on their way, hands linked loosely between them. Dan could never imagine his own parents doing that. He gulped, trying to shake the thoughts away. Dan heard a quiet noise from next to him. He turned and saw Phil sobbing now.

"Oh, Phil, what's wrong?" Dan asked softly, trying to pull Phil towards him in his chair.

"Nothing, its stupid," Phil said, wiping his eyes. "God, _I'm_ stupid."

"Hey, tell me?" Dan said gently, putting his hands on both of Phil's knees now he was facing him, both of them awkwardly balanced off the sides of their chairs.

"It's just- I," Phil began, running fingers through his quiff. "Everyone has settled down in my family. I'm 33 and I have nothing close to that. I'm gay and my family probably think that I can't even settle down if I wanted to."

"Phil," Dan whispered. "They're supportive of you, right? And any man would be lucky to have such an incredible person to love. Listen, I know it's nothing in comparison, but you have me. I know it's not going to be enough forever, but can it be for now?"

Phil looked at him in a way he couldn't even comprehend, until he opened his mouth and the softest words he had ever heard came out of Phil's mouth, "You are more than enough, Dan. I'm sorry."

"Hey, don't apologise! I can't expect you to want to stay with me when you're ready to settle down," Dan smiled softly at him.

"I don't think I could ever choose someone over my Dan," Phil replied, the genuine tone in his voice even had Dan taken aback for a minute. "When I come to events like these, I just wish I had someone to hold me like that. To show me off on a dance floor in front of my family. It's stupid."

_||Have I known you twenty seconds or twenty years?||_

Dan thought for a moment, worrying his teeth between his teeth. He looked Phil over, his solemn expression, but a small smile as he spoke about being in love. Dan felt his pain, he always felt inferior at family events. Dan stood up, Phil looking at him quizzically until he held his hand out.

"I might not be perfect, but you deserve to dance," Dan grinned. Phil slid his hand along Dan's until they could intertwine their fingers. Dan's hand swallowed his. It felt nice. Phil blushed, a bashful grin on his face as Dan pulled him to his feet and over to the dance floor. The hand that wasn't clasping Phil's went to rest on his waist as Phil's slid around Dan's neck, instantly curling around the back. Dan tightened the grip on Phil's hand as they swayed to the music.

_||Can I go where you go?_

_Can we always be this close forever and ever?||_

People were looking at them, but somehow neither cared. Brown on blue was electricity. It was shy and yet so comfortable that it put even the longest-standing couples to shame.

"I hope everyone has a best friend as wonderful as you one day," Phil whispered, his eyes never leaving Dan's.

"Well I hope that everyone has a best friend they need to be as wonderful for one day," Dan returned, his hand on Phil's hip slowly made his way to his lower back so they could be closer together.

"I know our whole _platonic_ dynamic is maybe a little weird," Phil mumbled. The idea of them being more than friends had been discussed a while back. They'd classed themselves as boyfriends in 2009, but Dan needed room to learn how to love himself, and Phil was willing to give it to him as long as he didn't lose him forever.

"We were young, yeah?" Dan murmured.

"Too young," Phil agreed. His gaze was locked so tightly on Dan's that he could feel nothing but Dan. Nothing mattered anymore, not right now. Their clasped hands loosened, just so they could pull each other closer. Both hands now around Dan's neck, Phil could move closer to rest his face in the crook of Dan's neck. The smell of expensive cologne that Phil had never bothered to notice and a thumping heart. Phil giggled, nuzzling closer. Dan's hands both rested over each other on the bottom of Phil's back, his cheek buried in black hair. Phil would probably complain later that his quiff was ruined, but right now it didn't matter.

_||And ah, take me out, and take me home_

_You're my, my, my, my lover||_

Dan was certain people were beginning to sit back down now, so they were probably being watched by them. Usually, this would make him cower in fear, but now it just made him pull Phil impossibly closer, his eyes closing. He knew Cornelia and Martyn we're still dancing, maybe a few other family members.

"Dan?" Phil said, his breath fanning over Dan's neck in a way that made him have to suppress a groan, replaced by a deep intake of breath.

"Hm?"

"Have you ever imagined this?" Phil asked, he pulled his face away from Dan's neck to look back at his face, beautiful and sharp, even under a dimmed light.

"Always," Dan admitted, an unapologetic look on his face. "Soulmates, right This is too comfortable for me to pretend I don't want a life with you."

***************************

_||We could let our friends crash in the living room_

_This is our place, we make the call||_

Dan and Phil only stopped dancing when the cha-cha slide came on. They weren't going to be those people. Phil's hands traced down Dan's arms when they pulled away, admiring the way the fabric of his blazer clung willingly to his bicep. He joined their hands when he reached them, tugging a few times to lead Dan outside to the beer garden. They needed to talk really, ask what the fuck _this_ was. But right now, Phil just wanted to be kissed by this beautiful man, loved and told that he was fucking _enough_. Phil smiled at Dan once they were out in the gardens, if there was any hint of an uncertain glint in his eye, it was drowned out by the love.

"I think I could've danced with you forever," Dan laughed awkwardly, the force of the situation hitting him. "I know it's cheesy, but you're everything I need; I could never tell you that enough."

"When you asked me to dance, you said 'I might not be perfect'," Phil whispered, his hands back around Dan's neck, stroking at the soft curls with a certain fondness. "But you're my kind of perfect. So kind, pretty. Willing to dance with your stupid best friend because he got sad over his commitment issues. I want everything you will let me have, please?"

"You have it," Dan replied softly, his eyes flicking down to Phil's pink lips. Phil pulled him down, almost laughing with giddiness, before kissing him. It was wonderful, definitely something platonic tendencies could never convey. A promise of love and _always_ having a best friend, no matter what. Whether you need a friend because you're crying over a law exam or you need somewhere to do laundry because you're too scared of the laundromat, or you need a friend because you're getting too much hate, or you fainted and needed to go to hospital or because you just wanted to dance so badly with someone. It was just a promise that meant a little more.

_||And I'm highly suspicious that everyone who sees you wants you||_

When Dan and Phil walked back into the party, hands joined, hair ruffled, and smiles on their faces, Phil’s family didn't judge. His mum smiled fondly at them, her head resting in her hands. They took their seats back at the table and Phil turned to his parents.

"Mum, dad...this is my boyfriend, Dan."

***************************

The attention wasn't drawn away from Phil's brother because he didn't tell anyone else. No one needed to know about their moment on the dance floor or in the beer garden. His parents didn't really need to know, but he wanted them to. He wanted them to know that he was okay and happy, they did always worry about that, because he had Dan. He had someone who loved him so much.

Phil's mum was content. She loved Dan, she had done the moment she met him when he was just a scared, 18-year-old who looked at her son like he was the oxygen he breathed - she supposed he might as well have been.

"Daniel, love," Phil's mum said after they'd settled down, a knowing smile on her face. "Would you like to dance?"

Dan giggled and blushed. There he was, the adorable little lad she'd just wanted to wrap up in her arms, a rose tint to his cheek. He stood up and took her hand. That was different, though, he was much taller now.

"What took you so long?" she grinned as he took her hand and began to dance with her. He bit his lip, stealing a glance over at their table, only to see Phil already staring back at him.

"I honestly couldn't tell you," he said truthfully, looking back at her. "I guess Phil was scared to interrupt my growth and I was scared to hold him back. We're better together though, stronger."

"I couldn't agree more," Kath smiled, a tear falling down her cheek that she didn't even bother to wipe. "I would welcome you to the family, but I somehow think you've been a part of it for nearly 11 years."

And Dan let himself cry into Phil's shoulder later that night over that comment. He felt accepted and loved. Sure, he wasn't as insecure as he was when he'd first been in Phil's old room, but he was definitely much happier.

And damn, did Phil Lester look good in a fucking blue suit. _Though, he looked better out of it._

_||I've loved you three summers now, honey, but I want 'em all||_

When they got home, they did something so disgusting that they put even the most cringe, disgustingly sweet couples to shame...

They danced in the middle of their living room. Dan held Phil tight and murmured the lyrics into his hair as Phil giggled and squeezed Dan and kissed his neck. They cried and fell deeper in love. Can you blame those two boys for loving each other so much, though?


End file.
